SWR: Apartment advice

Ladies,

Just wanted your opinions on this...

My uncles brother in law has a 2 family house near Massapequa (Seaford). The tenant is moving out in mid July and he is offering us the 2 bedroom apartment for $1,400 + utilities (which the current woman says run about $220 a month for gas + electric, but I cant imagine that for a small space! she must have everything on constantly). The apartment is the 2nd floor of a house, with a separate entrance. It has a decent sized kitchen with room for a table and 4 chairs and a pantry, a living room, a small bathroom, a bedroom with king sized furniture in it right now, and a smaller bedroom that we would use for the computers. He is an absentee landlord, so we would be the only ones in the house. There is a washer and dryer out back and we have acess to the yard and park in the driveway.

Since he knows us (sort of like 6 degrees of separation) he is not taking any security, 1st or last month rent, or broker fee AND is not tying us to any lease -- we can stay as long or as little as we want.

He is going to paint the apartment in the colors that we choose and have all the rugs cleaned. He said we can have the key when the other lady moves out but we dont need to start paying til Rob moves in in Sept or we move in in October...

The kitchen and bathroom are outdated and there are rugs EVERYWHERE (inc. the kitchen!) and the lady before had a cat, which I am allergic to. I am hoping that the cleaning just fixes the prob!

We hope to be there less than a year and actively search for a house or condo over the winter.

Would you take this deal for the simple fact that whenever you find a house or a better place you can simply move out? Or would you look for something with cheaper rent and utilities included from now and just resign yourself to being in that place for a year??

Thanks for reading!

Re: SWR: Apartment advice

It sounds like a good deal, but I would look around a bit before taking it. You never know what else is out there!

Re: SWR: Apartment advice

If I were you...I'd take it.

Re: SWR: Apartment advice

I would take it if I were you!!! that's a GREAT deal! that's about right for electric/gas/etc. A little paint and shampoo the rugs and air fresheners will get the cat scent out of there! Take it!

Re: SWR: Apartment advice

On craigslist I just emailed a bunch of people that had $1300 or $1400 all included.... so we'll see...

Is a nice modern kitchen with a dishwasher and utilities included for the same price WORTH being locked into a year lease??

Re: SWR: Apartment advice

I would take it if I were you. $1400 a month sounds like a great price for the amount of space that you're getting.

Re: SWR: Apartment advice

$1600 (with the utilities) is high for a 2BR apartment.

if you are allergic to cats, don't do it!!! my grandpa had a cat and we just bought his house. the house was COMPLETELY STRIPPED of the carpet and my FH is still feeling the effects!!

it just doesn't sound like a great deal. i'm sure it's okay, but not great. you can do much better.

Re: SWR: Apartment advice

That sounds like a great deal for all the space that you are getting. I don't think the gas & electic will be that much for such a small space. We're on an upper floor and we pay under $70/month with LIPA for electric only.

As for the carpet everywhere - as long as a professional cleaning service is used, you shouldn't have a problem. When we moved into ours, you could still smell the fresh paint and cleaning supplies they used in our place.

Good luck!!

Re: SWR: Apartment advice

wow...that's cheap...take it.

Re: SWR: Apartment advice

That is a great deal for everything you are getting. I would jump on it.

Re: SWR: Apartment advice

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Posted by SummerBride06

$1600 (with the utilities) is high for a 2BR apartment.

if you are allergic to cats, don't do it!!! my grandpa had a cat and we just bought his house. the house was COMPLETELY STRIPPED of the carpet and my FH is still feeling the effects!!

it just doesn't sound like a great deal. i'm sure it's okay, but not great. you can do much better.

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i agree. if you are that affected by cats, it will affect you no matter how much they clean.

Re: SWR: Apartment advice

$1400 is good.

But since it's really $1600, this is high for a 2 bedroom apartment.

Re: SWR: Apartment advice

$1400 for a 2 bedroom is fair for a house

I have never had to pay for gas- and that price sound VERY high

I pay about $70 a month for a huge 1 bedrrom apartment- more in the summer for A/C

we don't pay gas

Cable, phone and cable modem- I pay about $175- for every channel

do you really need a 2 bedroom apartment? esp since it's for such a short time?

Re: SWR: Apartment advice

i think that is a great deal. 1400 is cheap for a 2 br and they are customizing it to what you like.. trust me u wont find anything better out there, i've looked.

Re: SWR: Apartment advice

If it was just electric you have to pay than i would say go for it, but gas can be expensive. Especially with heat in the winter. I say keep looking..